Page 161 of Toxic Salvation
“Char, I’m at Dr. Mann’s office. Call Pavel or Osip and tell them where I am. Tell them to contact my security team. Nikolai is in charge today.”
Her tone changes instantly. “Aren’t you with your security team right now?”
“I don’t know what it is, but I know something is wrong. Just call one of them. I have to go.”
I hang up and immediately try Nikolai’s number. A second later, I hear ringing on the other side of the door. Three rings.
Then the ringing stops.
Fuck.
“Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God…” I back away from the door, scanning the room for anything I can use as a weapon.
The art on the walls is too big and heavy. The medical instruments are locked away. There’s nothing here but a paper gown and my purse.
Before I can make up my mind, the door opens.
A tall figure walks in, reeking of expensive cologne and cigarette smoke. His dark hair is slicked back and his eyes are wild with glee.
“Ihor,” I breathe.
“Dr. Fairfax.” He grins, closing the door behind him. “It’s been a while. You look amazing for a woman who’s just had a baby.”
“Where are my bodyguards?”
“Dead. Just like you’re going to be if you don’t come with me. Right now.”
My options flash through my mind in rapid succession. Run—but where? The door is behind him and there are no other exits.Fight—with what? Scream—and hope someone hears me before he kills me?
Going with him is not an option.
Not for me. Not for my sons.
I grab the heavy glass picture frame from the wall beside me and hurl it at his head.
54
KOVAN
“It’s down?”
“Completely,” Pavel says with satisfaction. “St. Raphael’s is officially clean.”
“What about the client list?” I ask.
“I’ve taken care of that,” Osip replies as he reclines against the sofa facing the glass wall of my office. “They’ve all been informed that there is no longer a waitlist and that pursuing the purchase of an organ will result in a visit from the cops.”
“Any problems?”
“A few,” Osip concedes. “But the moment I start rattling off personal details about their lives and loved ones, they get really quiet. I don’t think you’ll have trouble from the clients. No one wants to admit they were willing to purchase illegal organs on the black market.”
“I’m not worried about the clients,” I say. “I’m worried about the Keres.”
“Ihor is the head,” Pavel says. “We cut off the head and the snake won’t be able to bite any longer.”
“Yeah. The problem is getting close enough to the head to cut it off.” I flick at the files covering my desk. “He’s been MIA now for almost two weeks. Not even Denis has heard from him. Yana is a ghost, too. It’s their new strategy: hide until we forget they exist.”
“Maybe they know what’s coming?” Osip suggests hopefully. “Maybe they’ve decided to run before we corner them.”
